THE HEADLINES::
- Political activities in Tamil Nadu turn hectic ahead of C. Joseph Vijay led TVK government’s floor test today.
- All India N.R. Congress leader N. Rangasamy to take oath as Chief Minister of Puducherry today.
- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi governments implement measures for fuel consumption following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s austerity appeal.
- Centre increases import duty on gold and other precious metals.
- IMD predicts early arrival of monsoon this year.
- In IPL Cricket, Gujarat Titans beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 82 runs in Ahmedabad.
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In Tamil Nadu, political activities have turned hectic ahead of C. Joseph Vijay led TVK government’s floor test in the Assembly today. In a dramatic turn of events, the AIADMK has split into two groups over extending support to the TVK government. Lone AMMK MLA S. Kamaraj, has decided to support the TVK government.
”The TVK with allies like the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI (M) and IUML had enjoyed a majority of 120 to form the Government in Tamilnadu. After the Government was sworn in , it now has the support of 30 AIADMK MLAs from the breakaway faction and One AMMK MLA having a total of 151 MLAs. TVK will now have to prove the strength of the Government today. The AIADMK led by General Secretary E.Palanisamy has already said that those who do not adhere to the rules of the whip will be expelled from the Party. The Party founded by MGR will be facing a major political crisis presently. JOY, AKASHVANI NEWS CHENNAI .”
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay has reshuffled IAS officers in the state government, including former Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam and Finance Secretary T. Udhaya Chandran. The appointment of astrologer Ricky Radhan Pandit as Officer on Special Duty and Political Wing Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office has triggered criticism from alliance partners.
Congress MPs Sasikanth Senthil and Jothi Mani questioned the appointment, while CPI(M) state secretary P. Shanmugam said the move went against the government’s responsibility to promote scientific thinking. VCK General Secretary D. Ravikumar described the appointment as unacceptable in a secular government and urged reconsideration.
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All India NR Congress leader N. Rangasamy will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Puducherry today. At a ceremony to be held at the Lok Nivas, Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Rangasamy.
”In stark contrast to the post-election political drama witnessed in neighbouring states, Puducherry is poised to witness a swearing-in ceremony marked by political continuity, with N. Rangasamy all set to walk into the Chief Minister’s office once again.This will be the fifth term for the 76-year-old political stalwart as Chief Minister. Ministers will also be swearing in along with Chief Minister at the ceremony. Union Minister and BJP election in-charge Mansukh Mandaviya, BJP National President Nitin Nabin, BJP Puducherry in-charge Nirmal Kumar Surana and State BJP President V. P. Ramalingam are among the prominent leaders expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Mr Nabin, who arrived in Puducherry yesterday evening, held discussions with party office-bearers and legislators at the party headquarters. BIBIN S.NATH AKASHVANI PUDUCHERRY. ”
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In West Bengal, following the change of government, the state Police has adopted a stringent stance regarding law and order and past cases of political violence. In this regard, ADG, Law and Order issued a detailed directive yesterday to all Police Commissioners, Police Superintendents, and Railway Police authorities, mandating a series of immediate actions.
The directive orders a fresh review of all cases related to violence following the 2021 Assembly elections, including those where final reports have already been submitted.
Simultaneously, the state police has ordered a physical verification of all arms and ammunition stored in police station armories to be completed by Friday.
The directive also emphasizes a crackdown on cross-border smuggling and crime through regular border meetings and intelligence sharing.
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Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for austerity amid West Asia crisis, the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi have announced measures to reduce the use of official vehicles by ministers, MLAs and public representatives.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a 50 per cent reduction in the vehicle fleets of the CM, ministers and other officials, and directed that unnecessary vehicles be removed from official convoys. The state government has stressed greater use of PNG, Metro services and public transport, while encouraging virtual meetings and a weekly “No Vehicle Day.” More from our Correspondent:
”Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption and avoid unnecessary purchases of gold. During a meeting with the Chief Secretary, DGP, and all Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries of various departments, Chief Minister directed that the fleets of the Chief Minister, ministers and others be immediately reduced by 50 percent. He said that unnecessary vehicles be removed from official convoys. The Chief Minister also appealed for prioritizing the work-from-home culture in the state. The Chief Minister said that ministers, MPs, MLAs and public representatives should use public transport at least one day a week. A ‘No Vehicle Day’ should also be organized once every week. SUSHIL CHANDRA TIWARI, AKASHVANI NEWS LUCKNOW.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has reduced the number of vehicles in his cavalcade until further orders. In a cabinet meeting on Monday, Mr Yadav appealed to members of the Council of Ministers to reduce petrol and diesel consumption in the national interest and suggested the use of public transport. An official said, no vehicle rallies will be organised during his visits.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has also said ministers, MLAs, officials and government departments would limit the use of official vehicles, adopt carpooling and prioritise Metro and bus services.
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The government has increased the Import Duty on gold and other precious metals, which will be effected from today. In a statement, the Ministry of Finance said Gold and Silver findings will attract 5 per cent duty while platinum findings will attract 5.4 per cent duty. Furthermore, precious metal spent catalyst is set at 4.35 per cent, subject to the fulfilment of compliance criteria.
Earlier Prime Minister Modi had appealed the citizens to avoid purchasing gold amid the ongoing West Asia crisis.
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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken Shubham Khairnar into its custody, in connection with the alleged NEET paper leak. Shubham was detained from Nashik in Maharashtra yesterday by the crime branch unit of Nashik Police on request of Rajasthan Police.
The NEET (UG) 2026 exam for admission to undergraduate courses in medical colleges, held on 3rd of this month, was cancelled yesterday amid allegations of paper leak. The government asked the CBI to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the irregularities.
Earlier, Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group detained 15 people during investigations into the suspected network and money trail.
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The government has revised the release date of the Provisional Estimates of Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Quarterly Estimates of GDP for Fourth Quarter from last working day of May to 7th June of every year. The revision in the release schedule has been made after due consultation with the Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics. The Ministry said that the revision is aimed at further strengthening the data quality.
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India will be hosting a two-day BRICS foreign ministers meeting from tomorrow. The meeting will be chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. BRICS Foreign Ministers and Heads of Delegation from Member and Partner Countries will participate in the meeting. They will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the meeting, the Foreign Ministers of BRICS Member Countries will exchange views on global and regional issues of mutual interest.
Ahead of the meeting Dr Jaishankar, will today hold several bilateral meetings in New Delhi. The Minister will meet his Chilean counterpart Francisco Pérez Mackenna this morning and will hold bilateral talks. Later in the afternoon, he is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the foreign ministers of South Africa Ronald Lamola, and Brazilian foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. Later in the evening, Dr Jaishankar will also meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
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A high-level Indian parliamentary delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will visit Bhutan from today with the main objective of further strengthening India-Bhutan relations. The 51-member delegation includes MPs from Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha and officials from the Ministry of External Affairs. The delegation is expected to hold discussions on various aspects of Bhutan-India relations and ways to enhance cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
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The Ministry of External Affairs has urged people interested in undertaking the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra to apply before the 19th of this month, as registrations will close soon. Applicants can get further details and register through the official website, kmy.gov.in.
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India can witness early arrival of southwest monsoon this week. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, conditions are becoming favourable for the advance of southwest monsoon likely over parts of south Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and Andaman and Nicobar Islands towards the end of this week. According to the Met Department the Southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala around 1st of June every year.
Meanwhile, several districts of Rajasthan are currently reeling under severe heatwave conditions, with border districts being most affected. Temperatures at several places are being recorded between 45 and 47 degree Celsius. Barmer was the hottest place in the state yesterday, with the maximum temperature recorded at 48.3 degree Celsius. More from our Correspondent:
”The Met Centre has issued a red alert for severe heatwave conditions in the border districts of Barmer, Jaisalmer, and Phalodi for today. In addition, an orange alert has been issued for four western districts, while a yellow alert has been sounded for six south-western districts of the state . Not only the days, but the nights are also witnessing intense heat, with night temperatures remaining above 30 degrees Celsius at several places. The prevailing heatwave conditions have affected normal life across the region. According to the Met Department, similar weather conditions are likely to continue for the next two to three days. WITH JITENDRA DWIVEDI’S REPORT FROM JAIPUR, JIGYASA PANDEY AKASHVANI NEWS.”
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In IPL Cricket, Gujarat Titans defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 82 runs to take the top position in the points table with a compelling all-round show in Ahmedabad last night. Chasing the target of 169 runs, Sunrisers Hyderabad were bundled out for just 86 runs in 14.5 overs. For Gujarat Titans, Kagiso Rabada and Jason Holder scalped three wickets. Kagiso Rabada was declared Player of the Match.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- The dailies today have all taken note of the NEET-UG 2026 being cancelled on allegations of question paper leak affecting lakhs of medical aspirants across the country. “NEET mess: NTA orders retest as CBI probes leak,” writes Hindustan Times. The paper adds, “What began as a social media claim has snowballed into a massive examination scandal.”
- Quoting the petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri The Hindu hints at – “Fuel price hike as Oil Marketing Companies mounting losses cause concern.”
- “PM cuts convoy; Government departments to adopt austerity measures,” reports The Times of India.
- Under the headline, “In a shifting world order, five principles should guide India’s diplomacy,” notes an editorial in The Indian Express adding, “In foreign policy there is no substitute for nurturing trusted partnerships, even while seeking new opportunities.”
- “Iran’s Araghchi, Russia’s Lavrov to be in Delhi for BRICS huddle,” reports The Indian Express.
- The Economic Times noting the war impact on growth and current account cites, “PMO stitching up plan to boost foreign fund flow” with steps to ease FEMA rules.
- A headline in The Tribune writes, “Early monsoon likely, Andaman sea may witness onset by May 16.”
- And finally, A trailblazing first in 145 years at the prestigious institution”St Stephen’s college ready for its first-ever woman principal” writes The Pioneer.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN,
- Political activities in Tamil Nadu turn hectic ahead of C. Joseph Vijay led TVK government’s floor test today.
- All India N.R. Congress leader N. Rangasamy to take oath as Chief Minister of Puducherry today.
- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi governments implement measures for fuel consumption following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s austerity appeal.
- Centre increases import duty on gold and other precious metals.
- IMD predicts early arrival of monsoon this year.
- In IPL Cricket, Gujarat Titans beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 82 runs in Ahmedabad.
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